The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-26
THE CITY'S CHRISTMAS.
CELEBRATING THE GREAT FEsTI-
VAL OF CHRISTENDOM.

| Christmas. 1887, has come and gone. 1t
was quiet day in Savannah. It's principal
observance was in the churches, and falling
on Sunday the festival was the theme of
almost every sermon andsong. The weather
was bright and cold, but it didn't rain. The
Signal Bureau predicted over a week ago
just such day as yesterday proved to be.
1t was the sort of Christmas day that Sa-
vannahians do not get every year, and they
thoroughly enjoyed it,
There was no reasonable excuse for church
goels to remain Mt home, and peep at the
congregations through the open church
doors said plainly that few of them did.
QUIET IN THE STREETS.
People who didn't go to church generally
staid at home. There were few people on
the streets, compared with the crowds
that are generally abroad when
Christmas falls on week day.
Most of the festivities occurred in doors
There were few people, OF course, whose
spirits exalted because of the day, could
not brook the restraint of four walls, and
they walked up and down the sidewalks,
In some parts of the town there was an
amazing sight of walking to the block, but
this was not very prevalent
THE LITTLE FOLKS CHRISTMAS. =
The little ones, who had been waiting Inn
patiently for Santa Claus to come, made
the most of the day as children always do.
There were few sleepy heads among the lit
tie folks yesterday, and they were all ready
to get up as soon as daylight came Stock
ings, little and big, were quickly unloaded
of Jumping Jacks, woolly horses, Stuffed pigs,
Noah's arks and all sorts of things that
make child happy, and the exclamations
of delight that were uttered by thousands
6 I.sAlz H., k1.nt
pleased their fancy, came up from way down
in the bottom Of the long stocking, would
fill book.
THE POOR NOT FORGOTTEN.
While the little folks were busy with their
gifts the older ones were not unmindful of
each other and of the glad season when every
body gives presents. The poor were not
forgotten and many sad hearts were made
happier by the glad remembrance of those
who are able to give and who do not forget
that to give is more blessed than TO receive
In the asylums and hospitals charitable
hands were busy and the teaching that
the great anniversary is not one intended
to impart lesson to the rich
or to the good to the exclusion of the poor
or the wicked, was made practical by the
providing of some of the benefits of the day
to all, without reference to condition of
body or soul. Altogether it was such
Christmas as is seldom seen.
THE DAY IN THE CHURCHES.
Christmas worshipers were plentiful all
day Long before daylight dissipated the
darkness of the early Christmas morn, the
hurrying part of devout churchgoefs were
threading their way over the rough pave
ments to the Cathedral for O'Clock
mass. From the first early service till
the last prayer had been offered
in the afternoon, the attendance
upon church service was large.
The festival falling on Sunday nearly
all of the churches in tho city held Christ
mas services of some description. The
mass, the holy communion, and the old
fashioned prayer meeting were participated
in alike. 1t is in the Episcopal and Roman
Catholic churches, though, that the greatest
attention is paid to the day. The display of
evergreen fes6ons, of wreaths and crosses,
Christmas trees and churchly professions,
lighted tapers and festival robes and i'm
pressive ritual, is something to be remem-
bered for life time.
CHRIST CHURCH.
The morning services at Christ church
were attended by throng of worshipers.
The festoons of evergreens around the
chancel and galleries were tastefuliy ar
ranged and presented a beautiful appear
ance. There was an elaborate musical SER
Glorious" was finely rendered. The solo
singing of Mrs. Postell was particularly
fine, revealing refined musical expression
and clearness of enunciation. Next came
the singing of the ''Venite" 1t also re-
ceived creditable rendition from the CHOIR
The chief feature of the musical programme
and the most effective choral effort, how
ever, was the singing of the 'Gloria" by
Bennett. This is always an interesting
anthem at Christmas, and the
beauties of this ''angelic song" were we'll
brought out by the finely trained choir.
Much of the brilliancy and enjoyment of
the singing of the ''Te Deum" was due to
the admirable playing of the organist
Prof NJ Steward. The "Jubilate" that
followed was bright and charming in its
tonal beauty. The chief soloists were Mrs
ii. Walker. The latter's singing of
Nazareth. = by Gounod, as as offertory was
exceedingly we'll rendered Mr.. Rebarer
also sang with his usual care and finish.
Rev. Thomas Boone read the first lesson
taken from ST. Johns Gospel l., l. ''ln the
beginning was the word and the word was
God" The second lesson was taken from
St Luke's H., /. 1T came to pass in those
days" The text of Mr.. Boone's sermon
was from the book of Isaiah lvii., Is, 16, 10.
''Thus saith the high and lofty one that
inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy"
The rector spoke of Christmas day with
its Christmas joys as the happiest day of all
the year TO children, and to older people it
should be a day of rejoicing, and of the
fullest and truest joy, for on that day, 1900
years ago, the God of love, the God of all
the earth, of Jew and Gentle, became
manifest in flesh, and thereby proclaimed a
declaration of peace between God and man.
| God lives not to himself, he said, but de-
| lights TO reveal and manifest himself in a
personal relation TO his people, anG in the
incarnation of Christ his people are brought
| into new and nearer relation with
f, Christ, who is now their kinsman as well as
their Redeemer, bringing life forevermore,
and hope forevermore. Thus was Gods
love and mans need made the crystal
shrine upon which all our hopes de-
pend. Glory TO God in the highest for his
Christmas gift to the world.
CHRIST CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL.
The Sunday school service at Christ
church took place at o'clock yesterday af-
ternoon. II was different in one very i'm
portant respect from tie usual Christmas
service of Sunday schools, for, instead of
receiving presents, the children brought
presents, which are TO 20 to the poor to
brighten the Christnastide Of those 20 whom
| the seasonwould otherwise lie barren Of
| joys aud pleasures.
The school came in from the Sunday
school room through the doors on both sides
of the church, marched down the aisies and
met at the alley, up which they walked to
49,.